December 4, 2007

Read The Whole Book Online With Lookybook

Obviously, it's no substitute for an actual sitdown with a real book, but it might be a nice way to watch the computer together. And it though it doesn't have the selection of an airport bookstore yet, much less ye random Barnes & Noble, Lookybook has entire children's books you can flip through and read online.

Now you can see if the book is any good before you buy it. For example, Hu Yong Yi's Good Morning, China is beautifully painted, but there are no people getting their ears cleaned in the park scene. And there are no legions of 18-year-old farm girls in cleanrooms building our electronic devices.

And there are a couple of books by Ann & Paul Rand that disappointed me when I saw them in person. Rereading Sparkle & Spin and Little 1, though, it wasn't these two. They're kind of sweet.